


Man and Machine

by HaruHara16



Category: RWBY
Genre: Alternate Universe - Robots & Androids, Domestic Fluff, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Falling In Love, Fluff and Angst, Multi, Mutual Pining, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-30
Updated: 2020-04-10
Packaged: 2021-02-28 23:01:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,491
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23341393
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HaruHara16/pseuds/HaruHara16
Summary: CE470, or “Clover,” is Atlas’ most advanced prototype that is stationed under Captain Ironwood’s leadership. Designed to serve human law-enforcement and accomplish any task assigned to him, he also holds the future of the potential android project in his hands.But when he is paired with Lieutenant Qrow Branwen, he finds out that the world is a challenging place where answers are not always black and white…
Relationships: Qrow Branwen/Clover Ebi
Comments: 9
Kudos: 29





	1. Primary Objective

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was originally meant to be a one-shot for FGW2020 Day 7: AU/Free Day, but then I realized so much more could be built from the story alone. So I decided to make it a completely independent piece of work that plays off some of the narrative/concepts from the game, Detroit Become Human, and the Atlas Military theme in RWBY Volume 7.
> 
> TW: The first chapter mimics "The Hostage" as an introduction, so there are contents that relate to a struggle around the home, mentions of blood/violence, and an act of suicide at the end. Please take care while reading.~

The low hum of the elevator sung softly in his ears and the rhythmic beating of the digital bell when it passed each floor level matched his slow breaths.

The metal horseshoe spins in a circular motion on his index finger, its momentum remaining constant with the slight roll of his wrist.

Once the final bell rings and he’s reached the top floor, he stores the horseshoe away and prepares for the disarray of events to unfold before him.

The elevator doors open, and he is greeted by broken shards of glass on the floor and various pieces of household accessories lying across the hall leading towards the living room.

There’s some faint yelling that he couldn’t make out yet, but he decides to observe some of the things within his vicinity first, and his eyes immediately land on a broke picture frame lying face-down on the ground.

He kneels down to pick up the item and scans the faces of the two people in the photograph. The woman on the left had beautiful lilac eyes and a smile that rivaled the shine of her golden-blond hair. The woman on the right had black shoulder-length hair and piercing amber eyes, but the intimidating colors could not hide the visible warmth in their gaze. They held each other closely by the waist and leaned into one another so comfortably. The tender photograph is ruined only by a deep crack in the center of the glass that expanded to all the corners of the intricate silver frame.

_Yang Xiao Long_   
_Age: 19  
University Student  
_

_Blake Belladonna_   
_Age: 19  
University Student  
_

His fingers brush the shattered glass momentarily before placing the picture back onto the countertop table. From there, he notices even more valuable pieces of information. There were deep cuts and slashes imprinted onto the wooden desk and the walls, unpredictable in direction and almost frantic in nature.

_Multiple weapons used?_

**Probability of Success: 50%**

Suddenly, the yelling grows louder; two police officers are seen dragging someone out towards the entrance. The closer they got, the more he could see their faces. He immediately recognizes one of them as the blond woman in the photo. There were some streaks of blood falling down her arm and she was clearly distraught.

“Let me go! I can’t leave her!”

The officers resort to mild force in order to coax the woman to walk towards the exit, but she was a bit defiant in her movement.

“It’s about time, Clover,” the more-muscular officer grunts, “You won’t believe the crazy-“

“Elm, not now,” her partner cuts in, his eyes pointing back down towards Yang, whom they had between their hands.

Yang looks up at Clover and grabs his arms, pleading, “He’s going to kill her! Please, you have to-“

But she stops mid-sentence when she sees Clover’s blank expression, his uniform, and the blue LED light rotating on his right temple.

“Wait,” her eyes dilate with more fear, “you’re sending in… the new android?”

“I’m sorry, Yang, we have to go!” says Elm, “C’mon, Vine!”

But Yang continues to show some resistance as they forcibly drag her away.

“No- This- Why aren’t you sending in a real person?!” she cries out, “I don’t understand!”

Clover watches as Yang is taken into the elevator, tears streaming down her face and her words becoming more and more incoherent. He makes his way deeper into their home, but not before hearing Yang call out one last time behind the closing elevator doors, “How is he going to save her?!”

Clover reaches the interior, and the chaos in that hallway could only compare to a fraction of the destruction of the living room.

Multiple police officers were stationed and pointing their guns towards the patio, but Clover decides hold off the encounter to investigate the perimeter of the home first. It was risky to spend time searching when he should be confronting the so-called perpetrator as soon as possible, but he needed to gather as much information on the situation to understand more of what happened.

Clover first walks toward the bedroom, but not before being blocked off by a huge bookshelf that had fallen over. More slash marks slice through the smooth polish of the shelves that had fallen apart. Pages of all sorts from the collection of books were ripped and tattered, none of which he was able to mentally organize to its original owner.

There was only a single book in particular caught his eye, and it was the only one set neatly on the nightstand next to the bed: A black cover book with dark-red font titled, From Shadows. 

_From Shadows_   
_Authors: JW & CLW_   
_Pages: 522_

Clover fluffs the pages to get a feel of the novel and a bookmark falls out mid-way. But upon closer inspection, he finds out it that it’s not a bookmark, but a folded picture. The edges were bent and there were visible scratch marks; the image itself gave off a completely different vibe compared to the first one he saw earlier.

He sees Blake, her face hanging low and arms crossed as if she was defending herself. Her hair was longer and predominantly more wavy but her expression was that of sorrow and melancholy. This time, instead of Yang, there was a man standing behind her. He had his back turned to her, his face angled enough that Clover could make out his spiky red hair and ocean-blue eyes that contrasted so shockingly with the rest of his dark color preferences. There was one single piece of text written in fine cursive on the back: Adam.

_Potential Suspect: Adam?_

_Past relations?_

**Probability of Success: 57%**

Clover sets the book down and skims the bedroom; the bed sheets were wrinkled and the parts of the blankets were dangling off the edges of the mattress, but it looked like any unmade bed. So most of the struggle likely didn’t take place here.

Clover then returns to the living room, where he finds furniture torn to shreds; pieces of cotton from the inside were floating about or scattered across the floor in clumps. The flatscreen TV had fallen off its stand to the marble ground; the panel screen had gone white and contained multiple curved fractures of horizontal and vertical lines spreading in all directions. The source of the dents looked very similar to the one he saw in the picture frame. He noticed there were faint trails of blood drops everywhere, some concentrated heavily in a single area or a few spots in dark corners.

_Hostage could be wounded?_

**Probability of Success: 64%**

But the moment he turns around, he finds a lifeless body next to a bloody carving knife.

_First APD responder?_

He approaches it carefully, kneels down and analyzes the subject.

_Sync in Progress…_   
_Processing Data…_   
_Collecting Data…_

_Atlas Police Department_   
_Sienna Khan_   
_Age: 25_

_DECEASED_   
_Estimated Time of Death: 8:45 pm_

_Carving Knife Wound_   
_Stomach perforated_   
_Internal Bleeding_

_Blood Residue_   
_Gunshots fired despite injury?_   
_Missing weapon?_

**Probability of Success: 71%**

Moving to the dining room, Clover finds a low-sitting square table completely overturned and the seating mats were either missing or thrown about. Intricately-designed tea cups and plates were chipped, and there were some kind of water stains that lingered on the floor, along with more evidence of blood drops splattered across the floor erratically.

The kitchen area provided even further clues to the probable altercation that occurred. There was a large pan containing two whole tuna fishes still frying, but it was overcooked to the point where the charred skin release a sour aroma to the nose. Clover turns the stove off, but his eyes wander downward and he finds a ceramic tea pot right at his feet.

The lid was no where to be found, as the china was beyond repair and the sweet smell of the spilled tea spread across the tiles. However, Clover could feel the heat emitting from the liquid, which meant that the tea was still fresh.

_Girls were about to have dinner?_

**Probability of Success: 80%**

“Get back or I swear to God I’ll jump!”

The voice was muffled behind the sliding glass doors, yet there was no denying it was writhing in anger. Clover cautiously peeks behind the curtains to reveal the terrace and finally sees them.

Blake is wearing yukata-style pajamas, but they were smeared with streaks of red from top to bottom. Clover spots a minor cut in her lower torso that was still bleeding out, but she was probably too high on the adrenaline rush to feel any pain at the moment. Adam had her in a headlock and the muzzle of a gun pointing into her temple, standing mere inches away from the edge of the building.

_Missing weapon located._

_Suspect and victim located._

Gathering together what information he could from his search and keeping his primary objective at hand, Clover steps out.

The sound of a gunshot immediately goes off, along with a panicked shout.

It grazes Clover’s left arm just under where his bandana is tied, splattering some thirium across the glass and flashes of electrical streaks at the site of his minor injury.

“Stay back!” Adam yells, pointing the gun at Clover, “You come any closer and I’ll kill us both!”

“Adam, please!” Blake cries out, tears falling down her face.

Clover takes a moment to subtly survey the terrace and the roof of nearby skyscrapers. Multiple SWAT teams were getting into position with their rifles from afar, steadying their firearms with a mount and their fingers ready at the trigger. A helicopter was soaring overhead; the propellers created a mild gust of wind despite keeping a fair distance away from the scene. It lit the floor with a single, bright light and focused entirely on Adam’s position.

“I know you’re angry, Adam,” says Clover, approaching slowly, “But you need to trust me and let me help you.”

“I don’t want your help!” Adam rebukes, “There’s nothing you can do to help me!”

The closer he got, the more Clover could see. There was a terrible scalding mark across Adam’s left eye, which had turned crimson red with gray irises and a singed eyebrow. The scar managed to spare his other eye, the same calming ocean-blue Clover recalls in the photograph. But here, he could only sense hatred. 

“I know Blake meant the world to you,” Clover continues, “But you have to understand that she made a choice.”

“No!” Adam roars back, pushing the gun deeper into Blake’s head, “She made a promise to me! She promised that she would always be by my side!…”

Half-way across the terrace, Clover finds another downed female officer lying beside a long, rectangular pot of deadly nightshades that had tipped over. He fears that she met the same fate as Sienna Khan, so he gradually moves away… until she croaks out, “Please help me…”

Clover’s takes a few steps back towards the injured officer. He kneels down and quickly sweeps over the her body. Her ponytail was loosened, leaving strands of hair to fall all over the place. Underneath, Clover finds one of her arms leaking blood faster than normal.

“She’s wounded… She needs immediate medical attention or else she’ll die,” says Clover.

“Then let her,” Adam responds coldly, “Ilia is just another fool who sided with Blake when I turned to her for support. She can rot in hell with Sienna.”

Clover ignores the cruelty in Adam’s response and decides to help Ilia anyways. “I’m going to apply a tourniquet.”

He turns her body over and prepares to treat Ilia’s injury with the cloth on his arm, but not before another bullet escapes the gun in Adam’s hand. The sparks from the ricochet land close to Clover that it startles him, but not enough to scare him away.

“I said, leave her!” Adam shouts, “Or do you have a death wish?!”

Staring straight into the criminal’s eyes, Clover boldly counters, “You can’t kill me, I’m not alive.” 

Adam snarls back at the retort, still furious with Clover’s intentions as his threats did not stop the android from tending to the officer’s wounds.

Once he tightens the fabric, Clover resumes his business with Adam. “Blake left you for a reason. Did you ever stop to think why she did that?”

“She betrayed me is what she did!” Adam bellows, “She was all I had! And she chose that blond imbecile over me!”

He places a finger on the trigger of the gun, inciting a cry from Blake, “But how could you possibly understand?”

Clover brushes off the remark and accepts it with ease. It was truthful, but that wasn’t important right now; his task had the bigger priority. He finally reaches a distance just a few feet away from the couple.

“Listen,” Clover starts, “I know you’re upset, but it doesn’t have to be this way.”

The rage in his face was still there, but Adam’s grip on Blake’s neck appears to softened.

“Let her go, Adam. You can end this relationship in a more peaceful manner."

At first, Adam doesn’t say anything. There is a few minutes of intense, shared silence with nothing but the repetitive whirling sound of the helicopter rotors above their heads.

“…Maybe you’re right…” Adam finally scoffs as he lowers the gun to his side.

“All this time, I just wanted us to be together…” His eyes glance at the helicopter flying overhead and he feels the weight of the rifles aimed at him.

“But this time, I intend to keep our promise…” 

Suddenly, it was as if everything was happening in slow motion.

Adam’s eyes go blank and he wraps his arm around Blake’s neck once more, yanking her with him as he leaned back into the air behind him. The echo from Blake’s scream rumbles in his ears as Clover dashes toward them as fast as his feet could carry him.

He reaches for his trustworthy Kingfisher and deploys the line out at Blake, securing the hook and line around her abdomen just above her injury. With one hand, he pulls the fishing rod back at his direction, with the other he extends his arm for Blake, to which she immediately grabs on for dear life.

Adam, in his last fit of rage, attempts to take aim at Clover with the gun. But a swift and powerful kick to the stomach knocks the wind out of him, and he loosens his grip on Blake, the firearm, and falls to the concrete below. Alone.

Clover reels Blake back onto the terrace, where she barely manages to hold herself up off the ground with what little strength she had left amidst her quiet sobs. Police officers and SWAT teams spectating from inside the home now make their way out to address the chaos on the rooftop. With Blake safely secured and authorities taking care of Ilia’s injuries, Clover takes a moment to stare out into the hauntingly-beautiful city lights illuminating in the darkness of the sky before him.

**Mission Successful**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updates will be variable from here on out, but I'll do my best to stay consistent since I don't write multi-chapter fics that often.  
> The first chapter was pretty easy since it literally plagiarizes "The Hostage" as an introduction...
> 
> It might also be a bit awkward since I'm still trying to find a good balance between the robotic/digital vs. human nature of Clover's behavior as we go along, but I hope you'll bear with me through the struggles.~  
> Also, Clover still has Kingfisher hahaa. I was unsure if I wanted him to keep it or not since it the setting isn't exactly in the RWBYverse, but I'm going to keep it for now.
> 
> Regardless, thanks for any and all the support! :D
> 
> Tumblr: [HaruHara16](http://haruhara16.tumblr.com)  
> 


	2. New Assignments

It was the city of dreams.

Atlas has since made tremendous technological advancements over the span of a few years and its people have continued to thrive in its glory, especially with the development of the Amity Communications Tower. Now, with James Ironwood also leading as Captain of the Atlas Military Police Force and collaborating with some of the best Atlesian scientists on the new android project, he has become a figure of power many look up to with great earnest.

But only a privileged few had the pleasure of indulging in such luxurious amenities.

In an attempt to prove that Atlas has not completely turned a blind eye to the economic disparity between both cities, Ironwood made numerous public pledges to incorporate new Atlesian technology into Mantle. Or, more specifically, the android project that Ironwood has yet to explicitly announce. He claims that he has high hopes to soon bring the people out of poverty and assist in restoring equality by sharing his new innovations once they were finalized and ready to be mass produced for the public.

But that day has yet to come.

In the midst of constant empty promises and vague details, it started creating an even larger rift between both cities and an atmosphere of resentment. What Ironwood deemed as words of assurance was nothing short of mockery and insult to Mantle’s citizens; a jab at their patience, their optimism, and their desire for a change that was probably never going to come. So some resort to more… drastic measures.

“Clover.”

The voice stimulates the android to boot up his internal systems.

_Model: CE470_   
_REBOOTING_

_LOADING OS…_   
_System Initialization…_

_Checking Biocomponents… OK_   
_Initializing Biosensors… OK_   
_Initializing AI Engine… OK_

_Memory Status…_   
_All Systems… OK_

_READY_

Clover opens his eyes to the man standing in front of him, the LED light on his right temple rotating once more at a steady pace. His gaze meets another pair of steel blue on the opposite end, whose pristine, pitch-perfect uniform was unmatched only by his messy beard and disheveled greying hairs.

“It’s time.”

. . . . . . . . . .

They make their way to the main briefing room, with Clover tailing behind. The halls they strolled down only whispered echoes from their footsteps and the repetitive clicking sounds from the screens of the idle computers. But it was gradually filled with inaudible murmurs from other workers that started to fill into the building little by little.

“I’m pleased to hear that your most recent case went relatively well,” remarks Ironwood.

“Thank you, sir.”

“What did you think of the culprit?”

Clover takes a moment to himself before responding. “Adam Taurus seemed… mentally unstable. He exhibited an extremely violent nature and possessiveness towards his former girlfriend who, despite all he put her through, wished to part ways peacefully.” 

Ironwood nods in agreement, “Yes… but strangely enough, he has no past record of any domestic abuse. Miss Belladonna claims that his cruel behavior was fairly recent.”

“That’s unusual.”

Ironwood holds out a digital scroll for Clover, who promptly browses through the data.

“Elm and Vine offered to question both of the girls of the incident after their wounds were treated,” says Ironwood. “Miss Xiao Long experienced a deep laceration to her right arm and lost a tremendous amount of blood, but nothing our doctors couldn’t handle within minutes of her arrival.”

“Did she know of Mr. Taurus beforehand?”

“She states that she only heard the stories as told by Miss Belladonna and simply did her best to be supportive. She also claims to have spotted a man of similar description stalking around their neighborhood recently, possibly for months. But she did not think too much of it until the attack happened.”

“And Miss Belladonna?”

“She was stabbed in her lower torso, but it wasn’t as severe. When interrogated, she had unusually sincere comments to make about the boy at first, but her words soon turned sour as she continued to describe their relationship moving forward.”

“He… changed? Just like that?” Clover scowls.

“We believe it was a gradual transition,” says Ironwood, “A medical autopsy report we received this morning suggests that he’s been experimenting with drugs for quite some time to cope with his poor living conditions in Mantle. Miss Belladonna choosing to leave him must have been the breaking point.”

They take a sharp turn down a long, wide hall, where a set of elevators waited patiently for its next destination.

“It’s a pity, really,” adds Ironwood as he presses call button, “We can only make inferences as you were not able to apprehend him as told to.”

There was a certain sting to that remark. Sometimes it was subtle and a bit hard to pick up on, since the volume in Ironwood’s voice would merely lower and he would slow the syllable of every word in that sentence. But other times, he would be blunt or direct without hesitation. Regardless of his method of approach, Clover has become acutely aware of when Ironwood made his disappointment known and he quickly picks up on it without fail.

“Securing Miss Belladonna’s life was more important, sir. Had Mr. Taurus not made the desperate attempt to shoot me while dragging her down with him, I believe his death could have been prevented and he would have been taken into custody.”

“…I’m sure you did your best.” Ironwood coldly replies.

The rest of the elevator ride was… uncomfortable. The last thing Clover wanted was not being able to live up the expectations set for him. It’s not often that Clover fails to impress his superiors, as he always made sure to accomplish whatever task was asked of him and revels in the praise that came afterwards. This regrettably just ended up being one of the few times where his lackluster performance demanded criticism, and on his first major criminal case, nonetheless. Or, at least that’s what Clover justified to himself.

“You are the most advanced prototype Atlas as ever created,” Ironwood finally speaks up, his voice breaking the rhythmic beeping of the elevator as it passes each floor.

“If we intend on officially circulating androids into the city by the thousands in the near future, we must ensure the public that they are trustworthy and capable of working together with humans, not inflict more fear and harm.”

The elevator finally slows to a stop and opens, revealing a long hallway leading to a large conference room at the end.

“So you can start by following all aspects of my orders down to the last detail,” Ironwood glares at the android momentarily, “Do not fail me again.”

“Yes, sir,” Clover salutes.

Ironwood heads out first and his expression immediately goes from a frown to a courteous smile as he greets nearby colleagues. Clover decides to make his way to the briefing room first, and is promptly greeted by some familiar faces upon entry.

“Hey, you!” A strong arm hooks around Clover’s neck and the weight pulls him down for a moment. Even the sturdy biocomponents he was built with could not fully take on the strength of her muscles.

_Sync in Progress…_   
_Processing Data…_   
_Collecting Data…_

_Atlas Police Department_   
_Elm Ederne_   
_Age: 24_

“Careful, Elm,” a worried Vine notes, “I don’t wanna be responsible for any damage fines.”

_Sync in Progress…_   
_Processing Data…_   
_Collecting Data…_

_Atlas Police Department_   
_Vine Zeki_   
_Age: 25_

“Relax!” Elm booms back, “He’s fine! If this android can take on some wacky, murderous ex-boyfriend, my arms shouldn’t be any problem!”

But Clover would like to disagree to some extent. Her simple movements were enough to tip him over to one leg every time she swayed back and forth as she spoke.

“Consider yourself lucky you got to take on that case at all, for that matter,” another voice chips in.

A woman of dark-brown complexion walks up to them, the platinum blonde portions of her hair bouncing as she approached the group.

_Sync in Progress…_   
_Processing Data…_   
_Collecting Data…_

_Atlas Police Department_   
_Harriet Bree_   
_Age: 23_

“Oh, Harriet. Don’t get all salty just because you didn’t get the assignment.”

“Gee, thanks for reminding me,” Harriet rolls her eyes in annoyance. But the faint smile growing at the corners of her mouth suggests otherwise.

“I’m just surprised, to be honest,” she shrugs, “Ironwood rarely sends anyone to go solo on a case aside from Schnee, so I’m guessing this must’ve been a test-run for his new toy.”

The three share a snicker before turning back to Clover.

“Do tell, how was it?” Harriet raises her eyebrows with curiosity.

But before Clover could say anything, Ironwood steps into the room alongside Winter and everything hushes in an instant. Cadets who were busy filling up on coffee and free breakfast meals quickly run back to snag any empty seat and wait for further instructions.

Elm gives Clover a rough slap on the back and it nearly causes the android to fall over, but he catches himself before the weight of his body falls victim to gravity. She showers him with a huge smile and thumbs-up before walking off with Vine and Harriet to claim a seat. Clover stations himself in the back, away from the crowd as previously instructed.

“Alright,” Ironwood calls for attention, “Let’s get started. There’s only a few items on the agenda today. But firstly, I’d like to extend my gratitude to Clover for taking on the case of Adam Taurus and handling the situation to the best of his abilities.”

This earns Clover a round of applause, but not without the faint whispers between several cadets; some who eye him with an impressed look or with mild contempt.

“Secondly, Ilia Amitola,” Ironwood nods to a person standing in the far corner of the room and she heads to the front of the podium. Her entire left arm is bandaged and held in a sling. “As of today, Ms. Amitola will be taking a temporary leave from the Atlas Police Department. After losing Sienna Khan and still willing to put her life on the line, we wanted her to have the opportunity to take the time to recover physically and mentally. Please send her your regards at the end of the meeting.”

Ilia fondly smiles and waves at her comrades, many who shower her with cheers and bouts of huzzahs as she walks off the stage. Even Winter shared a tender moment with her by placing a hand on Ilia’s shoulder and giving it a gentle grasp.

“And finally, your assignments.” Winter takes this notion and hands Ironwood a stack of collapsed digital scrolls.

“Flynt, Neon, Kobalt, Ivori, you’ll be training our several of our newest recruits today. The Training Room is yours to control.”

Neon rushes to the front before her teammates and snatches the files from Ironwood, startling him. “OH.MY.GOSH. This is super crazy awesome! We finally get to feast on fresh meat!”

“Sun, Neptune. Scarlet and Sage are still on a team assignment with ABRN and they won’t be back until next week. But there’s been reports of vandalism breaking out in downtown Mantle and I want you to investigate the situation.”

The boys share an enthusiastic high-five as they walk up. 

“Save a seat for me when I get back, ladies,” Neptune winks, “Your favorite Jr. Detectives are on the case.”

A chain of unimpressed groans fill the room, but it is moderated with some soft giggles. Sun snorts at his partner’s antics and drags Neptune out of the room by the collar of his uniform. “C’mon, lady’s-man, let’s go.”

“Ciel,” Ironwood continues, “I’m putting you in the hands of our top Atlesian scientists for the time being. They’re currently fine-tuning some of the technical problems with Amity Tower’s wireless communication. And seeing as your scores within multimedia technology were highest of the new recruits, I think you’d be a great asset working alongside them.”

“Officers Nebula, Dew, Gwen, and Octavia, I want you four patrolling the outskirts of Mantle. There shouldn’t be any dangerous activity, but the least your presence can do is give the residents a sense of safety. And CVFY, you’ll handle patrol in Atlas.” 

Once the last of the scrolls are distributed, Ironwood closes the meeting,“The rest of you, stay with me. Everyone else, you are dismissed.”

The room begins to bustle with energy once more. Some eagerly head out to start their tasks right away, or some lingering back a bit for a quick discussion before slowly filing out of the room. Soon, the only people remaining left in the room is Clover, Elm, Vine, Harriet, Winter, and one unfamiliar face. Once the last person leaves, Winter shuts the door and Ironwood’s face reverts back to the solemn state Clover is used to seeing.

Winter dims the lights, which allows the projector boards to become more prominently brighter.

“There’s been a series of murders spacing out all across Solitas; ranging from powerful politicians to innocent parents.” Ironwood pulls up a screen depicting images of the bodies of the victims whose lives were taken. The few things Clover noticed between all the photos were the similarities between the gash and puncture wounds. “This is a top priority, and while I would love to bring in the bastard responsible, we unfortunately do not have any specific leads yet.”

“How can there not be any leads when we have a chunk of evidence right here?” Harriet cuts in.

“Apparently,” Ironwood sighs, “the culprit is… a lot more cunning than we anticipated.

“Meaning?”

“We aren’t able to pinpoint any eyewitnesses, any signs of fingerprints, or any lingering weapons left at the crime scene.”

“…If this truly as serious as you make it out to be, sir,” Vine adds, “Wouldn’t it have been beneficial to notify our other colleagues of this potential threat as well? Having more officers on the case doesn’t sound like a disadvantage.”

Several heads nod in agreement.

“True,” Ironwood admits, “but the reason I’ve chosen to relay this information to a small number is because, one, you are all my most trusted and most experienced special operatives, technically speaking.” He gives Clover and the stranger a quick glance.

“And two, I don’t want to stir up more panic and unrest. With too many people investigating on a single, dangerous case, it might cause the public to grow nervous. Tensions are already high between both cities, and we obviously don’t want to escalate that. Which brings us to another topic.”

Ironwood changes the slide to show two separate photos. 

The first is a young woman, perhaps in her late 20s, who had light-blond hair and violet eyes that screamed confidence in her personal convictions. The second was of an older man, whose pure-white hair conflicted with the coldness in his ice-blue eyes.

“Robyn Hill is one of the top candidates aiming to fight for a new seat on the Atlas Council. She has already garnered massive support from Mantle citizens for her campaign. She might be reckless and impulsive, but her initiative is not to be ignored. The people know what they will be getting if they side with her.”

“And then there’s Jacques Schnee. As CEO of the Schnee Pharmaceutical Company, he’s got enough wealth to last him for generations, but I have yet to understand his motives for trying to fight for the position of politician when he’s already got a lot on his plate. But I’m sure we’ll find out soon enough.”

“Sir, what do these two have to do with the murder cases?” Elm asks.

“They’re not specifically tied to the murder cases,” Ironwood comments, “The connection I’ve made for this is that depending on whoever takes the new seat of the council, they will soon play a contributing part in Atlas’ new project as well, which is still clearly a work-in-progress as we speak.”

The conference room breaks into inaudible murmurs and silent gazes at one another before Elm speaks out again, “What do Sleet and Camilla think of the project so far?”

“They’re… hesitant, as far as I can say,” Ironwood sighs, “Until I can prove to them that androids can become a staple part of both public and private life, there’s going to be some lingering doubt.”

“If I may ask, sir,” the stranger finally speaks, “What’s wrong with having another person become associated with the android project? Wouldn’t having more opinions and perspectives be valuable to you?”

“Thank you for your concern, Marrow,” says Ironwood with a stern look on his face, “But, unfortunately, it’s not that simple. The project that has yet to be given the proper greenlight and whoever wins that seat on the council could have a definitive impact on the continuation of the project itself.”

The stranger - Marrow - crosses his arms and puffs his cheeks like a petulant child. But he does not make any further comments.

“But, we’re going off on a tangent here,” Ironwood changes the projection screen to revert back to the pictures of the fallen victims. “This case is still under investigation and we’re doing our best to stay in contact with grieving families. This information should be kept between the eyes and ears of the people in this room only. Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes, sir,” the room responds in unison.

“Now, your next assignments are much more serious in nature compared to your other colleagues, and I expect you to treat them as such,” Ironwood holds out a new set of scrolls. “Whether or not they are related to the series of murder cases, I want you to stay vigilant and report back any potential leads or evidence you find.”

As Ironwood passes out the scrolls, Clover takes a moment to himself, processing all the information that was just shared. He started to realize the weight that Ironwood carried on his shoulders. Running the Atlas Police Department that overlooked both cities’ safety was hard enough, let alone putting time out to contribute to the android project that was still in development.

The man is tired.

No, he’s exhausted.

To be honest, nobody was forcing Ironwood to push himself. He had plenty of people who he could trust to divide the work with, even the short-tempered Caroline Cordovin… But knowing Ironwood, he’s the kind of man who followed closely to the motto “if you want something done, you do it yourself.” Besides, if he truly has Mantle’s best interests at heart, then perhaps he believed it was worth the extra effort to hold out for their sake. Coming to that conclusion, Clover also made it his personal mission to make sure that he doesn’t disappoint Ironwood again; if accomplishing his tasks down to the fine details helps reduce any unnecessary stress on his superior, then it should definitely be something to keep in mind. After all, Ironwood expected good results after every mission, and so far, he hasn’t given Clover any reason to think otherwise.

Clover’s train of thought is disrupted when his sensors detect someone within his vicinity. He looks down to find Marrow eagerly circling around him.

_Sync in Progress…_   
_Processing Data…_   
_Collecting Data…_

_Atlas Police Department_   
_Marrow Amin_   
_Age: 20_   
_New Recruit_

“So you’re Ironwood’s new android?”

Clover maintains his posture, keeping his hands behind his back. “You could say that. I do work closely with him, but I’m built to assist human law-enforcement as a whole.”

“I knew Atlas was known for its technological advances, but this is beyond what I imagined!” Marrow exclaimed, leaning in a bit too closely, “You look so… real; almost unrecognizable as an android unless told upfront! How long have you been working with the department?”

“It’s been roughly three months. I was sent out on my first criminal case just a few days ago.”

“That’s so cool! What do you think of-?”

“Take it easy, Marrow,” Harriet calls out from behind, “Don’t overwhelm him too much or he’ll shift into overdrive.”

“You honestly expect me to stay calm when I’m literally talking to one of the coolest inventions Atlas has ever created?” Marrow complains, making a ‘tada’ motion with his arms towards Clover.

Harriet gives him a flat look, “C’mon, don’t make me babysit you off the field too.”

“I can look after myself just fine, thank you very much,” Marrow huffs, before looking back at Clover. “Anyway, I look forward to working with you sometime, Clover. I’ll see you around.”

Marrow waves to the group as he heads out the room, with the rest of the operatives watching him leave.

“Well, I see you’ve met my new partner already, so I guess there’s no need for any introductions,” Harriet sighs.

“Aw, lighten up Harriet!” Elm joins the conversation, “The Captain finally recruited someone who’s actually able to keep up with you. Shouldn’t you be happy?”

“Well, it’s about time too,” she shrugs, “I’m just a little uneasy having a rookie join the ranks. He seems a little naive if you ask me.”

“And the robot you’re talking to isn’t?” Elm snorts, “His experience out in the field is technically equivalent to that of Marrow’s if you think about it.”

Harriet waves her hands dismissively, “The guy’s practically a walking calculator. He doesn’t count.”

“But if the Captain vouched for the both of them, who are we to dispute against his decisions?” counters Vine, “Besides, the sooner we get to working on our cases, the sooner we can go home and rest. I’m not exactly fond of the night shifts."

“Right then!” Elm opens the scroll and swipes through the digital files, “Catch you later, Clover.” She gives the android a rough pat on the back as she heads out, the force of her palm nearly causing him to topple over. But after adjusting to how their first interaction went, he’s catches himself much quicker this time.

Harriet gives Clover a light punch to the arm, following the pair out the door, “Try not to steal my thunder, ‘kay?”

Clover’s gaze on the officers lingers up until the door is shut. They were certainly an interesting bunch and it was obvious they got along very well with each other. He felt honored to have been placed into such an elite group of officers and a part of him was hoping to establish friendly relations with the Ace-Operatives in the future, Marrow included. If they were going to be a team, building on their teamwork skills will be helpful for future investigations.

“Clover.”

Ironwood motions for him to approach the front, to which Clover acts on. Winter leaves as Ironwood turns his attention to the android, handing him a scroll.

“You’ll be meeting up with Winter later this evening on a homicide case. But before that… there’s another task I need your help with.”

“Two homicide cases in one night, sir?” Clover tilts his head, “I don’t think that’ll be a problem.”  
  
“Actually,” Ironwood sighs, “it’s not a homicide case, but rather a temporary scavenger hunt.”

“I’m sorry?” a puzzled Clover frowns.

“You and Winter aren’t the only ones assigned to this case,” Ironwood pinches the bridge of his nose, “I’ve been trying to get a hold of them. Well, him especially, since he’s been in and out of contact only to his convenience.”

“So you want me to find him.” Clover states.

“Find him and see to it that he accompanies you to the crime scene,” the Captain nods, “I’m assigning you to be his new partner… for now. I’m hoping you’d be able to adapt to his work style better than any of our previous officers.”

“Understood,” says Clover, putting away the scroll, “Any suggestions on where I should start?”

“Probably the fringes of Mantle. And while you’re at it, send my regards to Pietro along the way,” says Ironwood, “A convenient stop for a quick system check-up would do you some good too.”

“And who is the person I will be looking for, sir?”

“Lieutenant Qrow Branwen.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter ended up being pretty dialogue-heavy, so I hope I made it flow as smoothly as possible.  
> There's lots of old teams mentioned back in RWBY in the Atlas Military Police, but they're mostly there just for the sake of "extra characters" you could say?  
> Team RWBY/JNPR/Oscar are not part of the Military Police for reasons.~
> 
> And sorry guys, no Qrow yet! He'll likely show up in the next chapter. ;w;
> 
> Tumblr: [HaruHara16](http://haruhara16.tumblr.com)  
> 


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